Norbury Primary School and Nursery, Bishops Castle
Norbury Primary School and Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Bishops Castle. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 7th-highest of the 96 schools in Shropshire with published results, and 582nd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Shropshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Norbury Primary School and Nursery in detail
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Norbury Primary School and Nursery reached the expected standard in reading and 100% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Shropshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 86% in reading and 71% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Norbury Primary School and Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 6 families put Norbury Primary School and Nursery as their first choice and 16 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Norbury Primary School and Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Norbury Primary School and Nursery are Stiperstones CofE Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 86% reading, 86% maths); Bishops Castle Primary School (3.8 miles, Good, 67% reading, 63% maths); Lydbury North Church of England Primary School (4.1 miles, 43% reading, 57% maths); and Wistanstow CofE Primary School (5.6 miles, Good, 50% reading, 40% maths).
Norbury Primary School and Nursery's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Stiperstones CofE Primary SchoolBishops Castle Primary SchoolLydbury North Church of England Primary SchoolWistanstow CofE Primary School
What parents say
18 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Norbury Primary School and Nursery (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
7.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 11 pupils (15.7%) received SEN support and 1 (1.4%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Staffing
Norbury Primary School and Nursery had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Norbury Primary School and Nursery.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10).
Suspensions and exclusions
Norbury Primary School and Nursery recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2014, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils at Norbury Primary school thrive in school, academically, personally and socially. This is demonstrated both by the outcomes pupils achieve as well as in how passionately they speak about their learning across the curriculum. By far the majority of parents are positive and grateful for all the school's work. One parent's comment was typical of many when they stated, 'we can't be thankful enough for their work.'
Pupils behave extremely well in this small village school. Relationships between staff and pupils are particularly strong. Pupils are polite and well mannered and show respect for others. They are highly engaged in lessons and work and play together very well. Pupils have confidence that staff will support them if any issues occur.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has constructed a curriculum that carefully considers the mixed-aged classes in which pupils are taught. This curriculum builds effectively from the early years. It clearly identifies what pupils need to remember over time. As a result, all pupils develop a rich body of knowledge that enables them to make connections between different subjects and topics. For example, pupils explain how, after learning about circuits in science, they are then able to make circuits to power vehicles they have made in design and technology.
Teachers deliver curriculum subjects very effectively. They use assessment strategies successfully to check that pupils have firmly understood earlier concepts and ideas. When needed, teachers provide appropriate support for pupils to ensure that any gaps or misconceptions in earlier learning are addressed effectively. Teachers ensure that pupils practise and revise what they have previously learned. For example, in mathematics, pupils are encouraged to deepen their learning through the use of 'rainbow questions'.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its November 2014 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
7.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
18 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 71% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 89% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
15.5
Avg class size
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Norbury Primary School and Nursery
Term dates
Norbury Primary School and Nursery is a foundation school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Shropshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Norbury Primary School and Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Norbury Primary School and Nursery is in Shropshire; for families living there:
Apply to Shropshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Norbury Primary School and Nursery
Will you get a place at Norbury Primary School and Nursery? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Norbury Primary School and Nursery's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Norbury Primary School and Nursery:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Norbury Primary School and Nursery.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Shropshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Norbury Primary School and Nursery for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Shropshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Full
56 pupils
56 places
No spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bishops Castle
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bishops Castle
Across Shropshire council
Places available
3,420
Applications
2,582
Got 1st preference
97.4%
Got preferred school
99.8%
All primary applications across Shropshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
11
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
17.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
70
Total Pupils
31
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
11.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£43,417
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,988
Per pupil
£457k
Total funding
£3k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.6%
Overall absence
7.8%
Persistent absence
51
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Norbury Primary School and Nursery
What are SATs results like at Norbury Primary School and Nursery?
Of the pupils at Norbury Primary School and Nursery who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 100% did so in maths.
What is Norbury Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?
Norbury Primary School and Nursery's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Norbury Primary School and Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When Norbury Primary School and Nursery is oversubscribed, Shropshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Norbury Primary School and Nursery?
Norbury Primary School and Nursery was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Norbury Primary School and Nursery?
Classes at Norbury Primary School and Nursery average 15.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Norbury Primary School and Nursery?
Norbury Primary School and Nursery has around 70 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Norbury Primary School and Nursery?
3.6% of sessions were missed at Norbury Primary School and Nursery in 2024/25. 7.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Norbury Primary School and Nursery?
Apply through Shropshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Norbury Primary School and Nursery on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Norbury Primary School and Nursery?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Norbury Primary School and Nursery?
Norbury Primary School and Nursery is at Norbury, Bishops Castle, Shropshire, SY9 5EA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)